Let men pretend what they please, if a spiritual ability in praying and preaching belong not necessarily unto the office of the ministry, no man can tell what doth so, or what the office signifies in the church; for no other ordinance can be administered without the word and prayer, nor any part of rule itself in a due manner. And to deny these to be gifts of the Holy Ghost is to deny the continu- ance of his dispensation unto and in the church; which at once overthrows the whole truth of the gospel and the sole foundation that the ministry of it is built upon.
[2.] The like may be spoken with respect unto duties to be per- formed by virtue of our general vocation. Such are the duties of parents and masters of families. I know not how far any are gone in ways of profaneness, but hope none are carried unto such a length as to deny it to be the duty of such persons to pray with their families as well as for them. The families that call not on the name of the Lord are under his curse. And if this be their duty, the per- formance of it must be by the aid of the Spirit of God, by virtue of the general rule we proceed upon.
(4.) The benefit, profit, advantage, and edification of particu- lar persons, of families, but especially of the church in its assem- blies, in and by the use and exercise of this gift, are such and so great as that it is impious not to ascribe it to the operation of the Holy
31 4 WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN PRAYER. [BOOK VII.
Spirit. Men are not of themselves, without his especial aid, authors or causers of the principal spiritual benefit and advantage which the church receiveth in the world. If they are so, or may be so, what need is there of him or his work for the preservation and edification of the church? But that it hath this blessed effect and fruit, Ave plead the experience of all who desire to walk before God in sincerity, and leave the determination of the question unto the judgment of God himself. Nor will we at present refuse in our plea a considera- tion of the different conditions, as to a holy conversation, between them who constantly, in their life and at their death, give this testi- mony, and theirs by whom it is opposed and denied. We are none of us to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, nor of any effect of his grace. It must therefore be said, that the experience which believers of all sorts have of the spiritual benefit and advantage of this ability3 both in themselves and others, is not to be moved or shaken by the cavils or reproaches of such as dare profess themselves to be strangers thereunto.
(5.) The event of things may be pleaded in evidence of the same truth : for were not the ability of praying a gift of Him who divideth to every one according unto his own will, there would not be that difference, as to the participation of it among those who all pre- tend unto the faith of the same truth, as there is openly and visibly in the world ; and if it were a matter purely of men's natural abili- ties, it were impossible that so many, whose concern it is in the highest degree to be interested in it, should be such strangers to it, so unacquainted with it, and so unable for it. They say, indeed, " It is but the mere improvement of natural abilities, with confidence and exercise." Let it be supposed for once that some of them at least have confidence competent unto such a work, and let them try what success mere exercise will furnish them withal. In the meantime I deny that, without that illumination of the mind which is a peculiar gift of the Holy Ghost, the ability of prayer treated of is attainable by any. And it will be a hard thing to persuade persons of any ordinary consideration that the difference which they do or may discover between men as to this gift and ability proceeds merely from the difference of their natural and acquired abilities; wherein, as it is strenuously pretended, the advantage is commonly on that side which is most defective herein.
Some, perhaps, may say that they know there is nothing in this faculty but the exercise of natural endowments, with boldness and elocution, and that because they themselves were expert in it, and found nothing else therein; on which ground they have left it for that which is better. But, for evident reasons, we will not be bound to stand unto the testimony of those men, although they shall not
CHAP. IX.] DUTIES INTERRED FROM PRECEDING DISCOURSE. SI 5
here be pleaded. In the meantime, we know that "from, him which hath not is taken away that which he had." And it is no wonder if persons endowed sometimes with a gift of prayer proportionable unto their light and illumination, improving neither the one nor the other as they ought, have lost both their light and gift also.
And thus, suitably unto my design and purpose, I have given a delineation of the work of the Holy Ghost as a Spirit of grace and supplication, promised unto and bestowed on all believers, enabling them to cry, " Abba, Father."